St. Albert’s midget AAA hockey team is rolling with netminder Chris Curr driving the bus.
The man behind the wheel backstopped the Tire Warehouse Raiders to five wins in seven games while posting a pair of shutouts along the way.
“I’ve been playing pretty good lately and a lot of thanks to the guys in front of me. They’re making it pretty easy for me,” Curr told the Gazette prior to Thursday’s practice at Akinsdale Arena.
“I’m pretty confident right now. I’ve got a few wins in a row and a couple of shutouts so I’m feeling good.”
Curr’s second shutout in his last four starts was Sunday’s 38-save performance in the 6-0 decision against the Calgary Northstars (10-9-2) after last month’s whitewashing of the Lloydminster Bobcats (4-14-3) by the same score triggered the 5-2 run by the Raiders (9-12-1).
“The first shutout was only 19 stops so this last one was definitely a more challenging game but the team was playing good in front of me,” said Curr.
His 2.48 GAA is third-best among north division goalies for ninth overall in the league.
“I’m just focusing in and working as hard as I can every practice and game. It’s coming really easy right now and the confidence is there too which helps a lot,” said the five-foot-six puck stopper with the .928 save percentage.
“I’m a bit of a small goalie so I tend to play a lot more aggressive. I also try to read the plays really good and track the puck. Playing the puck is a big part of my game too and it helps out our defence a lot.”
Curr is 8-7 on the season after a superb November as the player of the month in the north. He started six out of eight games and was 4-3 (one of the losses was by a shutout) with a .923 save percentage and 2.83 GAA over that span while facing an average of 37 shots per game.
The 17-year-old finished off November with three wins in a row, including the shutout in Lloydminster, and only four goals against as the Raiders went 4-4 during the month.
The Grade 12 Bellerose Composite High School student was presented with a Source for Sports gift certificate, a watch and a plaque as the November winner.
“It’s a big honour. It doesn’t happen very often to get an award like that. It was awesome,” said Curr, one of five Raiders to receive call-ups from Alberta Junior Hockey League teams and has filled at backup for the Fort McMurray Oil Barons.
“I haven’t played yet but just being there with the guys and taking it all in is a really cool experience.”
Curr’s first start in December was the inspired 35-save outing against the Foothills Bisons (17-2-3), as the Raiders knocked off the top south division team 3-1 at Akinsdale Arena.
“That was probably one of my best games of the season. The Bisons were undefeated going into that game so getting a win against them was really great,” said the former goalie with the midget AA Blues, midget 15 Flyers and bantam AAA Sabres.
Another big win was against the Northstars in Calgary after the Raiders took it on the chin 8-0 the day before by the Calgary Flames (13-7-1).
“That was definitely important because when you’re on a road trip and you lose 8-0 the first game you don’t want to lose that second game. It wouldn’t be much fun of a bus ride home so it was definitely a good way to rebound for our team,” Curr said.
The result solidified the team’s second-place standing in the north, a position shared with the Southside Athletic Club (9-12-1) behind the front-running Sherwood Park Kings (16-2-3).
“We’re definitely rolling,” Curr said. “When we’re a lot more loose we play a lot better I find. When things are not going your way you tend to tighten up and things don’t go your way so once you sort of get into a groove you’ve just got to keep rolling and it comes easier I guess.”
The Raiders skate at home today against Grande Peace Storm (7-11-3) at 3 p.m. and Sunday against the Calgary Buffaloes (16-1-4) at 1:15 p.m.
“It’s the last two games before the Christmas break so we’re looking for two good wins so we can head into the new year on a roll as well,” Curr said.
The Raiders will be collecting children’s toys for Toys for Tots and non-perishable food items for the St. Albert Food Bank this weekend and donation bins will be located inside the arena lobby during both games.
